The invention relates to rotary internal combustion engines of the type disclosed in prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,988,065 granted on June 13, 1961 to Wankel et al, and particularly to such an engine designed for operation as a stratified charge engine and employing two high pressure fuel injection nozzles, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,518 granted on July 15, 1975 to Gavrun et al.
A stratified charge rotary engine, as disclosed in the aforementioned Gavrun et al patent, has been operated by applicants' assignee and has achieved a substantial improvement in fuel consumption and firing regularity over prior stratified charge rotary engines. This successful operation has been achieved with remarkably low quantities of carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NO.sub.x) in the engine exhaust. However, the quantity of hydrocarbons (HC) in the engine exhaust, although less than in prior stratified charge rotary engines, was still higher than desirable particularly in view of exhaust emission standards presently prescribed for the future.